[RECIPE] MAKING YOUR OWN HEALTHY ‘GREEN’ SMOOTHIE

31st March 2016

Green Smoothies are simply everywhere and dominated social media in 2015 with instagram posts and recipes to make your own super healthy green smoothie. Smoothies in general are an easy way to get your ‘5 a day’ in a few big gulps but what makes a smoothie a green smoothie and how do you make your own?

There are some green smoothie recipes out there that require angel tears and unicorn hair, making them hard to source ingredients and are very expensive to make. Also, as there’s literally 1000s of green smoothie recipes out there, it’s quite overwhelming where to start or what to try! So I thought I’d share my recipe for my green smoothie which includes fruit and vegetables that are easy to buy, full of super healthy benefits and don’t require much sourcing.

Also, as smoothies are so versitile and can be tweeked and changed to suit the fussiest of palettes, I have listed different types of foods to try and the maths behind a green smoothie! (yep you read that right, maths!)

THE MATHS BEHIND A GREEN SMOOTHIE

I’m not gonna lie, I hate maths but I think it’s worth mentioning the ‘maths’ behind a green smoothie as it isn’t complicated and does not require you to have a brain like Einstein. It simply highlights what goes in to a green smoothie and allows you to make your own to suit your personal taste! So put down your calculators as all green smoothies consist of the following formula:

Leafy Greens + Fruit + Sweetener + Liquid + Blender = Green Smoothie

By sticking to this easy green smoothie formula allows you to make delicious green smoothies that are drinkable, enjoyable and make you feel super healthy! So before you run off to make your own, below I have listed the different greens, fruit, vegetables and liquid that you can include in your own green smoothie with my own recipe at the end!

WHAT TO INCLUDE IN YOUR GREEN SMOOTHIE

LOTS OF LEAFY GREENS:

I always use Spinach in all my smoothies because it is packed full of goodness and easy to buy. However there is a large variety of other leafy greens to choose from but the ones that are most popular are: Romaine Lettuce, Kale, Swiss Chard or Collard Greens etc,.

DIFFERENT KINDS OF FRUIT:

You can use any kind of fruit in your green smoothie and it does not have to be all fresh! Frozen fruit is just as good and works well in any smoothie. I also use Kiwi, Apple and Bananas with frozen Berries in all my fruit smoothies however, if those don’t float your boat you could choose the following commonly used fruits: Mango, Peach, Strawberries, Blueberries, Avocado, Pear, Melon or Pineapple etc.

TO SWEET OR NOT TO SWEET?

Health concious smoothie drinkers may argue that there is no need for added sweetness due to the sugars in the fruit. However, if you’re like me and have a really bad sweet tooth (bane of my life) then you can add a little sweetness to your drink. I use Honey as it’s relatively cheap but you can also use the following: Maple Syrup, Coconut Sugar, Agave, Stevia or chopped Dates etc.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF LIQUID BASES:

For my liquid base I simply use Water but if water doesn’t excite you, you can also use: Coconut Milk, Almond Milk if you prefer your smoothies to be a bit ‘creamier’ but you can also use: Coconut Water, Apple Juice or Orange Juice etc.

MAKE YOUR GREEN SMOOTHIE INTO A SUPER GREEN SMOOTHIE:

This is purely optional but there are ways you can me your simple green smoothie SUPER by adding the following: Chia Seeds, ground Flax Seeds, Coconut Oil, Maca Powder, Spirulina, Nut Butter or Raw Cacao. I sometimes use Spirulina in my green smoothies but apart from smelling like fish food and turning my smoothies dark green, I’m yet to see the benefits of using Spirulina.

INGREDIENTS

Handful of Spinach

1 Apple (chopped)

1 Banana (sliced)

1 Kiwi (chopped)

Small Handful of frozen Raspberries

1/2 tablespoon of Spirulina Powder (optional)

Appox 230ml of Water (just above ‘half way’ in your blender)

INSTRUCTIONS

Wash a handful of Spinach and add this to your blender

Add the chopped Apple and Kiwi with the sliced Banana into the blender

Add your frozen Raspberries

If using, super charge your smoothie by adding 1/2 teaspoon of Spirulina Powder to the blender

Add Water, just above the ‘half way’ mark on your blender. However, if you prefer your smoothies less think, add more water